Business Economics (Industry) BSc (Hons)

Lancaster University

Should a company open a new store? Who gains from interest rate changes? What are the implications of performance-related pay? If you would like to learn more about the relevance of economics to business and management, this four-year degree including a paid placement in industry could be for you. It follows our approach of applying learning to real-world issues.

This degree balances a thorough grounding in Economics with the chance to explore one or more subjects from the Management School. In your first year you can choose to find out more about accounting, finance, strategy, organisations and their people, marketing and the principles of economics. You don’t need an A level in Economics and there’s less focus on maths and statistics than some of the other Economics options.

All second years learn about macroeconomics, microeconomics and social research methods. This includes topics such as competitive advantage, the international financial sector and strategic behaviour. There are also options covering the economics of crime, game theory and the role of governments within the economy.

Your third year is spent in industry. You’ll be supported in securing a placement, with past students joining companies such as IBM, Lloyds Bank, Microsoft, PwC and the Bank of England. Roles on offer range from project management and logistics to investment, business development and risk. Most placements are in the UK but there are some options overseas.

Your placement experiences will form the basis of your final year dissertation. In your final year you will be able to specialise further in specific fields such as econometrics, health economics, industrial organisation and monetary macroeconomics.

We train our graduates in how to think, not what to think. Your analytical skills, practical experience and economic knowledge will stand you in good stead in the jobs market. Recent graduates have continued on to professional training as financial advisers, traders and underwriters or secured roles in finance, accountancy and advertising.

Careers

Our degrees are designed to prepare you for a career in industry, business, finance, consultancy or government. Recent Economics graduates have joined banks and financial consultancies such as HSBC and Deloitte, while others have been employed on graduate schemes with major companies, including BAE and the Swire Group.

Many of our Economics students have gained places on postgraduate courses at top institutions and then pursued specialised careers as economists – for example, at the Bank of England, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and in academia.

Our Business Economics graduates have found employment in the corporate and service sectors, including banking, finance, accountancy and advertising. Recent Business Economics graduates have continued on to professional training as financial advisers, traders and underwriters.